Multi-Exposure Imaging

1. A method of obtaining image data using at least one picture element array, the method comprising: using at least one picture element array comprising a plurality of picture elements, capturing light corresponding to a first image at a first exposure level; using the picture element array, capturing light corresponding to a second image at a second exposure level different than the first exposure level, wherein individual ones of the picture elements complete capturing the light corresponding to the first image prior to when those individual picture elements begin to capture the light corresponding to the second image; reading out first digital measurements corresponding to the light captured by the picture element array for the first image; and reading out second digital measurements corresponding to the light captured by the picture element array for the second image, wherein the step of capturing light corresponding to the second image begins prior to the completion of the step of reading out the first digital measurements, further wherein the amount of time that elapses from between substantial completion of said reading out the first digital measurements to substantial completion of said reading out the second digital measurements is greater than the amount of time from between completing readout of a first of the picture elements for the first image to completing readout of substantially all of the picture elements for the first image.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of picture elements form a set of rows including subsets of one or more rows, and wherein said capturing light corresponding to a first image and said capturing light corresponding to a second image occur for the picture elements in each subset together in time as a group.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein, for respective individual picture elements of the plurality of picture elements, there is an inter-exposure delay of less than approximately 100 picture element reset times between reading out a digital measurement of the first digital measurements captured by the individual picture element for the first image and beginning to capture light corresponding to the second image at the second exposure level by the individual picture element.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the inter-exposure delay is less than approximately 10 picture element reset times.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the inter-exposure delay is approximately one picture element reset time.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second images are captured using a rolling shutter technique.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein an inter-picture element delay from when said capturing light corresponding to the first image by a particular subset of one or more rows of picture elements begins and when the capturing of light corresponding to the first image by the subsequent subset of one or more rows of picture elements begins is less than approximately two picture element read out times.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the inter-picture element delay is approximately one picture element readout time.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first image and the second image correspond to a first frame in a sequence of motion video frames, the method further comprising: using the picture element array, capturing light corresponding to a third image at the first exposure level; using the the picture element array, capturing light corresponding to a fourth image at the second exposure level, wherein individual ones of the picture elements complete capturing the light corresponding to the third image prior to when those individual picture elements begin to capture the light corresponding to the fourth image, wherein the third image and the fourth image correspond to a second frame in the sequence of motion video frames; reading out third digital measurements corresponding to the light captured by the picture element array for the third image; and reading out fourth digital measurements corresponding to the light captured by the picture element array for the fourth image, wherein the step of capturing light corresponding to the fourth image begins prior to the completion of the step of reading out the third digital measurements, further wherein the amount of time that elapses from between substantial completion of said reading out the third digital measurements to substantial completion of said reading out the fourth digital measurements is greater than the amount of time from between completing readout of a first of the picture elements for the third image to completing readout of substantially all of the picture elements for the third image.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first and second images are selectively combined to create a first combined image having a different dynamic range than either of the first and second images and wherein the third and fourth images are combined together to create a second combined image having a different dynamic range than either of the third and fourth images.

11. An imaging system, comprising: at least one picture element array comprising a plurality of picture elements; and a controller configured to: capture light corresponding to a first image at a first exposure level with the picture element array; capture light corresponding to a second image at a second exposure level different than the first exposure level with the picture element array, wherein individual ones of the picture elements complete capturing the light corresponding to the first image prior to when those individual picture elements begin to capture the light corresponding to the second image; read out first digital measurements corresponding to the light captured by the picture element array for the first image; and read out second digital measurements corresponding to the light captured by the picture element array for the second image, wherein the controller begins the capturing of the light corresponding to the second image prior to the completion of the reading out the first digital measurements, further wherein the amount of time that elapses from between substantial completion of the reading out of the first digital measurements to substantial completion of the reading out of the second digital measurements is greater than the amount of time from between completing readout of a first of the picture elements for the first image to completing readout of substantially all of the picture elements for the first image.

12. The imaging system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of picture elements form a set of rows including subsets of one or more rows, and wherein the capturing light corresponding to the first image and the capturing light corresponding to the second image occur for the picture elements in each subset together in time as a group.

13. The imaging system of claim 11 wherein, for respective individual picture elements of the plurality of picture elements, there is an inter-exposure delay of less than approximately 100 picture element reset times between when the control circuitry reads out a digital measurement of the first digital measurements captured by the individual picture element for the first image and begins to capture light corresponding to the second image at the second exposure level by the individual picture element.

14. The imaging system of claim 13 , wherein the inter-exposure delay is less than approximately 10 picture element reset times.

15. The imaging system of claim 14 , wherein the inter-exposure delay is approximately one picture element reset time.

16. The imaging system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to capture the first and second images using a rolling shutter technique.

17. The imaging system of claim 16 , wherein an inter-picture element delay from when the capturing of light corresponding to the first image by a particular subset of one or more rows of picture elements begins and when the capturing of light corresponding to the first image by the subsequent subset of one or more rows of picture elements begins is less than approximately two picture element read out times.

18. The imaging system of claim 17 , wherein the inter-picture element delay is approximately one picture element readout time.

19. The imaging system of claim 11 , wherein the first image and the second image correspond to a first frame in a sequence of motion video frames, the controller further configured to: capture light corresponding to a third image at the first exposure level with the picture element array; capture light corresponding to a fourth image at the second exposure level with the picture element array, wherein individual ones of the picture elements complete capturing the light corresponding to the third image prior to when those individual picture elements begin to capture the light corresponding to the fourth image, wherein the third image and the fourth image correspond to a second frame in the sequence of motion video frames; read out third digital measurements corresponding to the light captured by the picture element array for the third image; and read out fourth digital measurements corresponding to the light captured by the picture element array for the fourth image, wherein the control circuitry begins the capturing of the light corresponding to the fourth image prior to the completion of the reading out the third digital measurements, further wherein the amount of time that elapses from between substantial completion of the reading out of the third digital measurements to substantial completion of the reading out of the fourth digital measurements is greater than the amount of time from between completing readout of a first of the picture elements for the third image to completing readout of substantially all of the picture elements for the third image.

20. The imaging system of claim 19 , wherein the first and second images are selectively combined to create a first combined image having a different dynamic range than either of the first and second images and wherein the third and fourth images are combined together to create a second combined image having a different dynamic range than either of the third and fourth images.

21. A method of obtaining image data using at least one digital imaging sensor, the method comprising: capturing a first image with at least one digital imaging sensor at a first exposure level using electronic rolling shutter technique, the sensor comprising a plurality of picture elements; capturing a second image with the sensor at a second exposure level different from the first exposure level electronic rolling shutter technique; outputting from the sensor digital measurements corresponding to the first image; and outputting from the sensor digital measurements corresponding to the second image, wherein said capturing of the first image begins before said capturing of the second image begins, further wherein said capturing of the first image and said capturing of the second image overlap in time, and further wherein the amount of time that elapses from between when said outputting from the sensor digital measurements corresponding to the first image substantially completes to when said outputting from the sensor digital measurements corresponding to the second image substantially completes is greater than the amount of time from between completing output of a digital measurement corresponding to a first of the picture elements for the first image to completing output of the digital measurements of substantially all of the picture elements for the first image.

22. A method of combining image data obtained using at least one picture element array, the method comprising: as implemented by one or more hardware processors, obtaining first image data corresponding to a first image and derived from first digital measurements corresponding to light captured by at least one picture element array comprising a plurality of picture elements at a first exposure level; obtaining second image data corresponding to a second image and derived from second digital measurements corresponding to light captured by the picture element array at a second exposure level different than the first exposure level, wherein individual ones of the picture elements completed capturing the light corresponding to the first image prior to when those individual picture elements begin to capture the light corresponding to the second image; and selectively combining the first image data and the second image data to create combined image data corresponding to a combined image; wherein the step of capturing light corresponding to the second image began prior to the completion of reading out the first digital measurements, further wherein the amount of time that elapsed from between substantial completion of reading out the first digital measurements to substantial completion of reading out the second digital measurements is greater than the amount of time from between completing readout of a first of the picture elements for the first image to completing readout of substantially all of the picture elements for the first image.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the first image and the second image correspond to a first frame in a sequence of motion video frames, the method further comprising: obtaining third image data corresponding to a third image and derived from third digital measurements corresponding to light captured by the picture element array at the first exposure level; obtaining fourth image data corresponding to a fourth image and derived from fourth digital measurements corresponding to light captured by the picture element array at the second exposure level, wherein individual ones of the picture elements completed capturing the light corresponding to the third image prior to when those individual picture elements began to capture the light corresponding to the fourth image, wherein the third image and the fourth image correspond to a second frame in the sequence of motion video frames; and selectively combining the third image data and the fourth image data to create combined image data corresponding to a second combined image; wherein the step of capturing light corresponding to the fourth image began prior to the completion of reading out the third digital measurements, further wherein the amount of time that elapsed from between substantial completion of reading out the third digital measurements to substantial completion of reading out the fourth digital measurements is greater than the amount of time from between completing readout of a first of the picture elements for the third image to completing readout of substantially all of the picture elements for the third image.

24. The method of claim 22 , further comprising blending together content from the first image with content from the second image for at least some of the combined image by varying the relative amounts of first image content and second image content included in the blended content in response to picture element values corresponding to one or more of the first image and the second image.

25. The method of claim 24 , further comprising adjusting the amount of blended content to include in the combined image in response to user input.

26. The method of claim 24 , wherein said blending together content comprises discarding relatively low signal-to-noise content from one or more of the first and second images.

27. A system for blending image data obtained using at least one picture element array, the system comprising: one or more hardware processors; a blending module executing on the one or more hardware processors and configured to: obtain first image data corresponding to a first image and derived from first digital measurements corresponding to light captured by at least one picture element array comprising a plurality of picture elements at a first exposure level; obtain second image data corresponding to a second image and derived from second digital measurements corresponding to light captured by the picture element array at a second exposure level different than the first exposure level, wherein individual ones of the picture elements completed capturing the light corresponding to the first image prior to when those individual picture elements began to capture the light corresponding to the second image; and selectively combine the first image data and the second image data to create combined image data corresponding to a combined image; wherein the capturing of light corresponding to the second image began prior to the completion of reading out the first digital measurements, further wherein the amount of time that elapsed from between substantial completion of reading out the first digital measurements to substantial completion of reading out the second digital measurements is greater than the amount of time from between completing readout of a first of the picture elements for the first image to completing readout of substantially all of the picture elements for the first image.

28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the first image and the second image correspond to a first frame in a sequence of motion video frames, the blending module further configured to: obtain third image data corresponding to a third image and derived from third digital measurements corresponding to light captured by the picture element array at the first exposure level; obtain fourth image data corresponding to a fourth image and derived from fourth digital measurements corresponding to light captured by the picture element array at the second exposure level, wherein individual ones of the picture elements completed capturing the light corresponding to the third image prior to when those individual picture elements begin to capture the light corresponding to the fourth image, wherein the third image and the fourth image correspond to a second frame in the sequence of motion video frames; and selectively combine the third image data and the fourth image data to create combined image data corresponding to a second combined image; wherein capturing light corresponding to the fourth image began prior to the completion of reading out the third digital measurements, further wherein the amount of time that elapsed from between substantial completion of reading out the third digital measurements to substantial completion of reading out the fourth digital measurements is greater than the amount of time from between completing readout of a first of the picture elements for the third image to completing readout of substantially all of the picture elements for the third image.

29. The system of claim 27 , wherein the blending module is further configured to blend together content from the first image with content from the second image for at least some of the combined image by varying the relative amounts of first image content and second image content included in the blended content in response to picture element values corresponding to one or more of the first image and the second image.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the blending module is further configured to adjust the amount of blended content to include in the combined image in response to user input.

31. The method of claim 29 , wherein the blending module performs the blending together of the content at least partly by discarding relatively low signal-to-noise content from one or more of the first and second images.